30-Foot Mystery Sea Creature Washes Ashore in New Zealand

If you thought that guy at Coney Island who wants you to pay him five bucks to touch his pet snake was a good reason to stay away from the beach, check out what some people found rotting in the sunshine on the beach in New Zealand!

The creature was discovered by a group who were out riding around on ATVs about three miles from Pukehina Beach in New Zealand's Bay of Plenty. The folks who found the creature thought it was maybe some sort of prehistoric sea monster, since it was 30-feet long and had terrifying teeth.

Pictures of the remains were sent to the Department of Conservation and Kelly Tarlton's Aquarium to be identified. When no confirmation of the creature's identity was received from them, the photos were sent to Anton van Helden, a marine mammal expert. He quickly identified the creature as an orca carcass. Apparently killer whales have a very distinctive flipper, and that's how he was able to ID the creature so quickly.

The remains have since washed back out to sea. Maybe in a few months they will surface someplace else, frightening and confusing the locals there.